Frequently Asked Questions
Our policies have the option to cover this if you are working online. In addition, working online brings additional exposure and we recommend that you also purchase the optional Cyber Liability coverage.
Our program is effective with certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s. Holman is proud to be a Lloyd’s Coverholder for 38 years.
Lloyd’s is the world’s leading insurance market providing specialist insurance services to businesses in over 200 countries and territories and was first established in 1688 in London England. Lloyd’s Underwriters have provided insurance coverage in Canada since before Confederation. They are amongst the largest providers of commercial insurance and reinsurance coverage in Canada, insuring businesses large and small. Lloyd’s has built its success in Canada on its appetite for large and specialty risks and the flexibility it brings to its underwriting approach. To find our more about Lloyd’s click on the image below.
Holman Insurance Brokers Ltd. is a full service brokerage that not only boasts competitive pricing and offerings, but one that can also provide you with individual and personalized attention – regardless of your companies size or the value of your portfolio. We operate locally but think globally.
We remain on the leading edge of the insurance industry by continually updating our information technology systems and enrolling our staff in continuing education programs.
We maintain memberships in the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario, the Insurance Institute of Canada, and we are licensed with Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario and all other provinces and territories in Canada.
The company is managed by brothers Paul Holman and Mark Holman who have been in the insurance business for over 38 years and are the second generation of Holman’s committed to serving all of your insurance needs. Internationally we are part of WING and UnisonSteadfast, two of the largest broker networks of mid-size brokers networks in the world. It is not easy to become a member a global alliance; it always takes a careful examination of each brokerage house and they continuously implement compliance processes and maintain its high quality standards.
We recommend a minimum limit of $2,000,000. Most health professional that are regulated are required to carry a least $2,000,000 personal professional liability for each member insured. Although many of our clients are not regulated we still recommend this limit as a minimum.
Our unique “claims made” professional liability covers you for professional negligence of your business and general liability for bodily injury, mental injury, illness or death for which you are legally liable. General Liability insurance provides protection for Therapists for non-professional liability exposures associated with serving clients. For example, the liability for clients falling and being injured which arises out of the insured’s conduct. The policy also extends to include such coverage as libel and slander and products liability.
Our therapist policy is specifically designed to meet the needs of individual therapists, however we also able to provide “Occurrence Form” Commercial General Liability or we can even provide as an individual policy that provides coverage for premises, products and completed operations including employers liability, contractual liability, cross liability, tenants legal liability, non-owned auto and legal liability for damage to hired automobiles (SEF94).
We provide $100,000 of products liability insurance automatically including Remedies which means natural supplements, herbal remedies, creams, gels, powders, essential oils, spritzers, tinctures, homeopathic or flower remedies or bottles, jars or dispensers, however we do not provide coverage for prescription medicines. If you purchase, the optional “Occurrence CGL” form this includes Products coverage starting at $1,000,000 coverage.
No we cannot accept renewals over the phone. Each year you are required to update your renewal application. You have the option of completing an online application or a PDF form and can email or fax back to us.
The policy purchased through this program is for individual professional liability and general liability coverage ONLY i.e., it protects the insured when negligent acts and/or omissions result in bodily injury and/or property damage to a third party. The policy DOES NOT provide coverage for property/equipment owned by the insured unless a separate policy is purchased for your premises or property or if your landlord requires an occurrence form CGL policy.
Our policy provides liability insurance coverage Canada-Wide. We can cover you outside of Canada for a number of reasons such as:
- accompanying Canadian patients on trips
- with a Canadian Sports Team or Delegation
- temporary work outside of Canada
- attending academic courses
- participating in professional exchange programs with other countries.
Coverage territory is extended to anywhere in the world at an additional premium.
It is the practitioner’s responsibility to ensure that they have secured any necessary visa, credentials or licenses to carry out the activity outside of their home jurisdiction.
As an additional extension to the program coverage territory, the policy also provides worldwide coverage for all claims that are defended in a Canadian court. Note, that it is the practitioner’s responsibility to confirm that he or she has regulatory authority to practice in any jurisdiction from which service is delivered and/or in which it is received.
Yes, if the following activities are undertaken an additional premium loading is charged as follows:
Working with Animals 50%
Student Status 30%
Teaching 50%
Working With Professional Athletes or Dancers 100%
If your association is currently not approved, please have them contact us and provide specific about details about education and training.
If an individual activity does not appear in the list above and requires coverage, please provide full details of training, accreditation and course syllabus details. (Such activity will have to specifically agreed and approved by Insurers prior to cover being bound.)
THINK AGAIN! Take some time to read the following and act appropriately!
You should know that your employer’s legal representation and insurance coverage are in place to protect your employer from liability, and to protect the best interests of your employer first and foremost, regardless of whether those interests are in conflict with yours. A private professional liability insurance policy protects you; it covers you in the case of an error or negligent act and ensures that you have personalized legal assistance and protection from liability exposure.
When you are an employee of a firm, e.g. a school board, hospital, non-profit, your employer is responsible for your actions. However, should the limits of your employer’s insurance be insufficient to meet the settlement of a claim in which you are a codefendant, your personal assets could be at risk. Private professional liability insurance protects your personal assets, provides for your legal defence and ensures that there are adequate funds available for settlements and compensation.
There are other instances in which your employer’s insurance may not cover you.
For example:
• a complaint made to your college or professional association
• claims made when employer coverage reaches its maximum in terms of the number of claims or amouunt payable per annum
• actions on the job are deemed to be outside the scope of the employer’s “best practices” for the cicumstance in which the claim arose
• complaints and investigations by Children’s Aid, police, regulatory bodies
• in the event you are charged with a crime related to your work
• many people often are hired as independent contractors and are not considered employees and are not always insured by the contractor (employer)
Every service professional should be aware that their employer’s liability insurance may not provide them with adequate protection should they ever need it.
All therapists and service professionals should consider obtaining private insurance coverage.
Rates are published in our application and we recognize that members want to buy their insurance quickly and simply. That is why our insurance policy is backed up by exceptional service levels featuring:
Complete applications (without claims or disciplinary issues) with payment are processed within 48 hours. Confirmation of Insurance is provided generally within 48 business hours of binding.
To be eligible to purchase this insurance, you must be certified or qualified in your Profession and belong to an approved association or get Pre-approval from Holman Insurance Brokers Ltd.. You must also be a resident of Canada. We will need a copy of your certifications and qualifications sent along with your application and payment.
If you answer YES to any of the questions below, you will NOT be automatically eligible for coverage. This however does not mean that you are precluded from applying for coverage. Instead, you must complete the application and send it to Holman Insurance Brokers and include such things as a copy of the statement of claim and other details regarding the claim. The underwriting process may take 3-5 business days and acceptance is not guaranteed. A premium surcharge may also apply if you answer YES to any of the following questions:
Has any claim been made or lawsuit brought against you due to any actual or alleged wrongful act or mistake?
Have you or any of your employees been the recipient of any allegations of professional negligence in writing or verbally?
Are you or any of your employees aware of any facts, circumstances or situations which may reasonably give rise to a claim?
Has there been or is there now pending against you any suit(s), proceeding(s), claims(s), fact(s), or situation(s) that would have been covered by this insurance?
Have you ever had any license suspended or cancelled?
Have you had any insurance company either decline to issue or cancel any errors and omissions insurance?
Have you ever been charged with or convicted of a dishonest or fraudulent act?
Have you ever been found guilty of any violation of Federal or Provincial insurance or securities law or regulation?
A “claims made” policy protects the policyholder against claims or incidents that are reported while the policy is in force, or during an “extended reporting period”. The negligent act, error or omission must have also occurred during the specific time frame set by the policy.
A “claims made” policy protects the policyholder against claims or incidents that are reported while the policy is in force, or during an “extended reporting period”. The negligent act, error or omission must have also occurred during the specific time frame set by the policy.
Remember professional liability policies are written on a “claims made basis”. Once you lapse or cancel your policy you will no longer have coverage for work that has been performed in the past. To solve this problem we can provide ‘run-off’ or extended reporting coverage. If you take out this cover, if any claims come in after you have retired, they will be covered if they arise from your business activity while you had coverage in effect. This cover would ensure that any late claims are still covered while the extended reporting coverage is in effect. You must contact us (or your Estate) to arrange this cover, and a charge will apply.
You should notify us immediately, even if you only think you might need to make a claim. We are here to help and quick action could mitigate costs or even prevent a claim. Equally, if you have a routine query on which you would like our opinion, we are always happy to help. See tab on left “How to report a Claim”.
This is a standard procedure in the event of a claim. If you have already provided these and your qualifications do not require recurrent training you will not need to, however if your qualifications require recurrent training or updating, we will require evidence that you are currently qualified to provide the therapy. The onus is on the insured to provide these.
This insurance is subject to Provincial tax as follows;
- Ontario 8%,
- Quebec 9% ,
- Manitoba 7%,
- Newfoundland & Labrador 15%,
- Saskatchewan 6%.
- All other provinces no tax applies.
We have made a decision to provide this program as a paperless environmentally friendly program. As a result all documentation will only be forwarded electronically. Every little bit helps in saving our environment. Go Green! In addition, it keeps the premium costs down which we pass on to your our valued customer. Most of our customer’s prefer this method and are actually amazed we are able to provide the level of service we offer and the speed we are able to offer. If you still require a paper version, this is available at an additional charge.
An additional insured (AI) is reserved for a business name or third party you want listed on the policy. It is not for other professional providers and/or co-workers. When you add the third party or business name to your policy as an Additional Insured, you are extending your policy coverages to protect the additional insured from a lawsuit that was caused by your negligence. In other words, if someone slipped in your space of service and broke their arm, the injured person may sue you and the additional insured. Since business name is added as an Additional Insured your insurance policy would protect both you and them in the suit.
If you work under a business name you can add this as an additional insured. However, it does not cover all those who work in your business. It only protect the “name” of the business if it is listed specifically in a claim.
The policy covers you activities you are qualified for regardless of the modality and the types of clients you work with. Even if you work with higher risk clients such as trauma victims or drug and alcohol dependent clients, there are no restrictions on the cover for these types of work. However, we would suggest that you purchase higher limits of coverage. We have limits available up to $5,000,000 per claim / $10,000,000 Aggregate
With legal costs and the likelihood of being sued increasing, you should consider as much cover as you can afford. Your own personal circumstances will also have a bearing on the amount of cover you may need. For example, corporate clients may require that you have a $5,000,000 liability limit.
The policy covers you for Professional Liability for seeing clients at home or anywhere in Canada. You should however, inform your home insurance provider to ensure a home business does not interfere with their policy because any slip and fall claims on your premises would go against the owner of the premises. The alternative is to purchase a Commercial General Liability (CGL) policy for your commercial business exposures on a separate policy on an “Occurrence basis”. This will not only provides coverage for premises, products and completed operations, it will also provide employers liability, contractual liability, cross liability, tenants legal liability, non-owned auto and legal liability for damage to hired automobiles (SEF94).
Not to worry, Yes we can! While most homeowners’ policies exclude businesses that are operated out of the house, we have made arrangements with the same insurer to provide house insurance for Therapists working out of their home.
Counsellors are very important people in the lives of their mobile clients. Counsellors services are covered for providing services or giving advise using Skype™, Zoom or any other method of encrypted communication.
Yes we can provide “Prior Acts” coverage if you can provide us with evidence of prior insurance. We can make the “retro date” to the earliest date since you have had continuous coverage. A copy of your prior “claims made” policy(ies) showing the past retro date is required.
If the modalities you have completed training in are recognized by Holman, you can include those modalities in your application. For modalities in which you are a student, these can be recognized as a practitioner in those areas. Ensure you include a copy of current course enrollment. Please note that there are specific limitations on your insurance coverage as a student. As a student, you are only covered in a program-supervised clinical/practicum setting as designated by your school or training institution.
We have specialized in Professional Liability insurance for over 38 years and with our large client base we are able to offer volume savings we receive from insuring so many therapists and countless other professionals. In addition, our prices do not include any mark up for association or membership fees that some associations may charge.
New therapies can be added at any time to your professional services when you become qualified. They will be charged at the then current rate (or increase rate for a higher category). All additions are subject to a minimum $50 service charge.
Even when you do your absolute best work, there’s always some risk that someone you interact with will be dissatisfied. And any dissatisfied patient or client company could file a claim against you. Even if you’re not at fault, without Professional Liability insurance, you would have to pay for your own legal defense and any potential settlement costs.
One of the most common types of lawsuits brought against complimentary health providers deals with negligence in the performance of their professional duties. These types of suits seek damages sustained when you fail to perform your job according to established standards of conduct for your field. The costs of a legal defense, not to mention a settlement, can be devastating in such cases.
Even if you work for a company or someone else, your company’s Professional Liability coverage may not be enough to protect you in the event of a lawsuit. Ultimately, maintaining Professional Liability insurance is the responsible thing to do.
Yes. we offer Student and Teaching cover. Please note that this does not include running a school. However, we can cover this separately.
Under our policy there is no limit to the number of therapies you can be covered for. As long as you are qualified to practice and have studied on an approved course, we will cover you. There is however, an additional surcharge for more than 15 therapies.
Maxwell Claims Services Inc. is a firm of skilled claims professionals who are dedicated to providing the highest quality of claims service. This service is both technical and customer focused. The cornerstone of our work is establishing strong partnerships.
Their Head Office located in North Vancouver, is comprised of 26 staff in our various offices across the Country
Policyholders are provided with pro bono legal advice, as it relates to practice risk and liability, through Dolden Wallace Folick LLP. They are a well-recognized defense lawyers for professional liability and medical malpractice law firm in Canada
Professional liability insurance protects you against liability, or allegations of liability, for injury or damages resulting from a negligent act, error, omission, or malpractice that has arisen out of your professional capacity as a psychology practitioner.
Many Employer policies do not provide coverage for a variety of exposures covered under this program, which are tailored to the professional. Some examples are legal protection and costs associated with complaints made against you and filed with your Regulatory Board/Agency or even Sexual Harassment and Abuse. Without individual professional liability coverage, you would be personally responsible for these costly expenses.
Your policy is also not limited to your place of employment, and will protect you personally in a variety of settings including clinical, academic work and even volunteer work. Should you provide advice/or treatment outside the scope of your employment (for instance, volunteer work in the community or work with a secondary employment site), your employer’s policy may not extend to cover you.
Your policy includes options for Extended Reporting Period (ERP) coverage therefore if you discontinue your practice for whatever reason we recommend that to remain protected following the expiry of your policy by purchasing the ERP option.
Note that you must renew your insurance and have an active policy in place before returning to practice.
Regulatory Legal Expense Coverage
The regulatory legal expense endorsement provides coverage for legal costs associated with having to respond to a complaint, or appear at a disciplinary hearing with a provincial regulatory organization or agency. In the event of a complaint or investigation, members are provided with superior legal representation and defence protection. Examples include complaints alleging professional misconduct, incompetence, or incapacity.
Criminal Defense Coverage
Coverage will reimburse insured members for defence costs associated with a case filed under the Criminal Code if the professional service was rendered in Canada and the member is found not guilty of the criminal charge.
Abuse Coverage/Sexual Abuse and Counselling Fund
Regulated Health Professional policy include a maximum funding of $25,000 for the rehabilitation and therapy of a person who, while a patient or client, suffered abuse in the course of an insured member’s practice as a psychology practitioner.
Members are also provided with a separate $100,000 limit of liability for defence and damages associated with an abuse-related claim under the policy.
Locums Extension
We have an optional Coverage extension available provided for a qualified locum temporarily hired for a maximum of 30 days as a result of a professional liability claim under the policy.
Loss of Documents
Coverage is provided to replace a third parties loss of physical documents. For example, if a you were to lose patient or client’s files or if they were destroyed due to fire.
Breach of Copyright
You would be covered if legally obligated for claims in connection with an actual or alleged breach of patent, design, trademark, trade name or copyright.
Loss of Earnings Coverage
The insurer will pay up to a maximum of $500 per day for lost wages (including other expenses) incurred by the insured while assisting or defending a claim under the policy.
Financial Loss Coverage
The insurer will indemnify the insured for claims arising from financial, economic loss or expenses sustained to a third party for a claim under the policy.